Blue Mountain, Swatara highlight Fabulous Strike undercard

The $100,000 supporting stakes on the Fabulous Strike card Thanksgiving Eve at Penn National are the Blue Mountain Juvenile Fillies and the Swatara. The three stakes will be run as races 2, 3, and 4 on a program that has a first post of 6:05 p.m. Eastern.

A 50-cent pick four begins on race 1 – a 2-year-old maiden race – and continues with the Blue Mountain, a six-furlong sprint for Pennsylvania-bred 2-year-old fillies; the Swatara, a 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds and up; and the $200,000 Fabulous Strike at six furlongs.

Rolling daily doubles and pick threes start on race 1 and continue throughout the 10-race card.

The Swatara favorite is Dr Blarney, a winner of 17 of 24 starts, including 10 Massachusetts-bred stakes. The 5-year-old gelded son of Dublin came into the Bud Delp Memorial at Delaware Park in mid-October a perfect 6 for 6 on the season, but was run down as the even-money favorite and finished second, beaten 1 1/2 lengths.

The sting of that defeat was tempered somewhat when the winner, Unbridled Juan, came back Nov. 10 to win the $100,000 Richard Small Stakes at Laurel Park.

Dr Blarney could settle into a stalking trip behind Grasshoppin, Johnny Jump Up, and Persie.

Dr Blarney is owned by his breeder, Joseph DiRico, and is based at Finger Lakes with trainer Karl Grusmark. Tammi Piermarini, who has ridden Dr Blarney in 21 straight races dating to fall 2015, will be aboard.

As of Monday, Persie is the winningest horse in North America this year with 10 victories. Trained by Lester Stickler Jr., he was claimed by Bush Racing Stable at Penn National for $8,000 in May. He has since won seven races, including a $5,000 starter on Nov. 10, earning a race-high 99 Beyer Speed Figure while pulling away by 17 1/2 lengths.

Other contenders in the Swatara include John Jones, Monongahela, and Someday Jones.

Twelve fillies are entered in the Blue Mountain, including a three-prong entry for Penn National trainer Rodrigo Madrigal and owner Thomas Coulter.

The Blue Mountain field is deep but the horses to beat appear to be the debut winners Smarter Than U for Parx-based Ned Allard and Please Flatter Me for trainer Mark Reid, who is stabled at Pimlico.

Smarter Than U won a six-furlong statebred maiden by 4 1/4 lengths and earned a 75 Beyer. The runner-up, Strega Nonna, came back to win her next start, and is also in the Blue Mountain.

Please Flatter Me won a five-furlong open maiden race at Parx by 8 1/2 lengths and was given a 72 Beyer.

I’am a Unicorn comes into the race for trainer Scott Lake off a runner-up effort to Getting Warmer in a Parx allowance. Getting Warmer has looked good winning both of her starts.

Tara’s Talent, who is trained by Eddie Coletti Jr., won a Parx allowance by six lengths in her most recent start.